Suction cleaning apparatus



July 4, 1939. P. B. ELLIS 4 Y 2,164,392

SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS I "Original 'Fil ed Nov. 16, 1935- 2 Sheefs-Sheet 1' /6 INVENTOR DH/LID BELL/5.

BY AVTTO EY Jul 4, 1939. P. B; ELLIS 2,164,392

I SUCTION CLEANING APPARATUS Original Filed Nov. 16, 1935 2 ShQets-Sheet 2 XL 1. 3 39 4! 22 38 4/ II I 5! 22 3 35 1) 20 INV NTOR 7 DHIL/P .ELLIS.

ATTOR EY Patented July I 4, 1 939 PATENT OFFICE 2,164,392 SUCTION cmanmc APPARATUS Philip B. Ellis, man Park, Pa., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 16, 1935, Serial No. 50,129

, Renewed Aiigust 4, .1937

Claims.

My invention relates to suction cleaning apparatus and particularly to nozzle structures therefor of the type generally disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 9,360,

5 filed March 5, 1935, and it has for an object to provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of my invention is to. provide a form of nozzle which, when in use, is sealed about its perimeter to the surface to be cleaned and wherein the air for cleaning is circulated through the nozzleand impinged against the surface to be cleaned within the confines of the sealing boundary. r

A still further object of mylnvention is to simultaneously brush the article being cleaned and to bathe the surface thereof with air at high velocity.

These and other objects are eflected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of my improved nozzle structure applied to a' suction cleaner of conventional design;

Fig. 2 isa plan view of my improved nozzle;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the nozzle showing its contact face;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along. the line V.V of Fig.4; and,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line V,I-VI of Fig. 3

Referring now, particularly, to Fig. 1, my improved nozzle, generally' indicated at Ill, is shown applied to a conventional portable suction cleaner which may include a blower unit ll,.a flexible conduit I2 and a rigid conduit or handle [3. The apparatus operates in a well known manner in that, air, laden with the dirt removed from the article being cleaned, such as, for-example, a

carpet, is drawn through the nozzle Ill, handlel2 and conduit l2 by the blower unit H, in which separation of. the dirt from the air is effected before the air is returned to the ambient atmosphere. The nozzle is reciprocated over the carpet by the operator by means of the handle B.

In order that the nozzle Hi may be maintained in engagement with the carpet over its entire surface, regardless of the elevation of the hand of the operator or the angularity of the handle l3, a-pivotal connection, best shown in Fig. 6 and indicated generally at [4, is provided. The pivotal connection I permits the handle I} to taken along the line "be lowered'from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 without disturbing the engagement of the nozzle I0 with the carpet, so that the nozzle may be admitted beneath furniture or other objects where low head room is encountered. 6

Reference will now be had to Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, wherein my improvednozzle is shown in detail. It includes a relatively flat body portion l5, having edge portions l6 and II which are, alternately, leading and trailing edges as the 10 nozzle is reciprocated across the carpet. The sides of the body portion ii are preferably rounded or ovalled as shown at IS. A relatively flat surface 2| is provided on the bottom of the body I5 for contact with-the carpet or article 15 being cleaned. The body portion l5 further includes an elongated channel 22 adjacent the center thereof and formed in the contact face 21. The ends of the channel 22 are spaced inwardly from theovalled sides l8. go

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the pivotal connection l4 includes a swivel member 23 having trunnions 24 journalled in the body portion l5.

' The member .23 has a main air passage 25 formed therein which communicates, at its inner end, 25 with a transversely-extending air passage 26 extending through the trunnions 24 the passage communicating at both ends with thechannel- 22. The passage 2i communicates further with the channel 22 by means of a relatively wide port v3 21 which extends for a major portion of the length of the trunnions 24'.

The trunnions 2 4 are rotatably mounted in; a

" bearing seat 28 formed in the body portion l5,

, which seat is cut away or slotted, as shown at 29. 5

to provide communication between the port 21 and the channel 22. The slot 29 may be coextensive with the length of the port 21, as shown in Fig. 3, with the. end portions '21 of the trunnions' 24. bearing in the seat 28 throughout their entire periphery or diameter. It will be understood that the trunnions 24, are fitted to the seat 28, alignment of the trunnions-fl and seat 28 being insured by the continuous end portions 3| of the trunnions 24 which bear in the seat 28 5 throughout their circumference. Movement of the trunnions 24 axially of the seat 28 is prevented by inwardly projecting flanges 32 at the; terminal, portions of the seat 28. 1

A cap 33 is attached to the body portion I5, preferably, by means of screws 24 and includes a seat 25 which complements the seat 28 to deline the bearing for the trunnions 24. The cap 33 is slotted as shown at 26 in Figs. 2, 3, and 6 to permit the member 22 tobe moved downwardly when the nozzle is moved beneath an object offering low head room.

The various passages formed in the contact face 2i of the nozzle will now be described. In addition to the channel 22, the face 2| has a plurality of'recesses 31, spaced outwardly from both sides of the channel. These recesses 31 communicate with the channel 22 by means of respective ducts 3B. As shown, the end recesses are each provided with a single duct,- the intermediate recesses with a plurality of ducts, while the central recesses are each provided with a central duct and two divergent ducts. It will be particularly noted that the recesses 31 are all spaced inwardly from the perimeter of the nozzle so as to form a continuous sealing face 40.

- Air from the ambient atmosphere is conducted to the recesses 31 by means of respective openings 39, which may be axially disposed with respect to the recesses 31. Preferably, the inner ends of the openings 39 project into the recesses 3'! as shown particularly in Fig. 6 so that air entering the openings is directed at high velocity into engagement with the carpet.

In order that material, such as, for example, threads or hair, may be disengaged from the nap of a carpet, I provide brushes 42 and 43, preferably located on each side of the chamber 22. As shown, these brushes 42 and 43 are detachably secured to the body portion 15 by means of screws 44 and 45, respectively. The-brushes 42 and 43 are preferably disposed adjacent the central portion of the channel 22 and are of substantial length.

In the operation of the nozzle, the contact face 2| bears against the carpet by its own weight and by the additional weight of the handle l3. When the blower unit H is motivated, the nozzle bears against the carpet with additional force due to the air seal effected by that portion of the contact face which lies outwardly of the recesses 31 and the ends of channel 22 and the consequent difference in pressure between the suction pressure prevailing in the recesses 31, ducts 39, and

air is drawn from the ambient atmosphere through the openings 39 and is impinged at high velocity against the'carpet. Imbedded dust or relatively heavy dirt or grit is thereby dislodged and entrained in the stream of air. The air is deflected by the carpet and flows radially from beneath the center of the openings 39 into the recesses 31, in which it moves clrcumferentially and then enters the ducts 38to be delivered into the channel 22.

The various air streams from the duct .38 flow to the center of the channel and pass into the passage 26 through the end portions thereof and through the slot 29 and port 3| as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. The air, laden with dirt, then passes into the discharge: passage 25 and is conveyed therefrom to the blower duct 1 l. Fibrous material is dislodged by the brushes 42 and 43 and carried away by the air stream.

It will be, apparent that communication between the port 2'1 and slot 29 is maintained, regardless of the position of the handle l3 and swivel member 23, as the port 3| is made of sufflcient width to register with the slot 29 in all positions of the member 23.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I.

have provided an improved suction cleaner nozzle ing action in that the outer boundary of the coritact face of the nozzle is sealed to the carpet, making the entire stream of air effective to impinge against the carpet for dislodgingthe dirt.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, than only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In suction cleaning apparatus, a body hav-' ing a flat bottom surface for engaging the surface to be cleaned, said bottom surface being elongated, an outlet slot located centrally of the bottom surface, extending in the direction of the major axis thereof and terminating short of the ends of said bottom surface, a multiplicity of air nozzle openings spaced from each other and extending downwardly through the body, said openings being located between each side boundary of the bottom surface and the slot and on opposite sides of the transverse centerline of the bottom surface, and separate passageways extending between the lower ends of the respective openings and the slot, said passageways extending from their respective openings in directions inclined with respect to the slot in the direction of the transverse centerline of the bottom surface.

2. In suction cleaning apparatus, the combination of a body having a bottom surface for engagement with a surface to be cleaned, outlet means including a slot located in an intermediate portion of the bottom surface, a plurality of openings extending downwardly through the body for impinging air against the surface to be cleaned, said openings being spaced from the slot, and brush means for engaging the surface to be cleaned, said brush means being located between the slot and the openings.

3. In suction cleaning apparatus, the combination of a-body having an elongated bottom surface for engagement with a surface to be cleaned, an outlet slot extending longitudinally and substantially centrally of the bottom surface, a series of spaced openings extending downwardly through the nozzle body in spaced relation with respect to the outlet slot and on each longitudinal side thereof, passageways provided in the bottom surface for affording communication between the openings and the slot, and brushes disposed adjacent to the slot on opposite sides thereof, said brushes being secured to the bottom surface of the nozzle body and arranged to engage the surface to be cleaned. I

. 4. In suction cleaning apparatus, the combination of a nozzle body having an elongated bottom surface for engagement with a surface to be cleaned and having a seat portion located above .nozzle body and said conduit portion projecting outwardly of the'nozzle body, and a cap engaging the trunnion portions of the fitting for attaching the fitting to the nozzle body, said cap having an opening encompassing the conduit portion of the fitting and arranged to afford angular movement thereof, and means for securing the cap to the nozzle T ody. l

5. In suction cleaning appara the comma tion of a nozzle body having an elongated bottom surface for engaging a surface to be cleaned and having an air outlet channel formed therein, said channel extending downwardly through the nozzle body, spaced seats provided in the nozzle body, a fitting having a conduit portion and a transversely extending trunnion portion, said trunnion portion bridging the seats and having openings provided in its ends and between the seats for affording communication between the conduit portion of the fitting and the channel of the nozzle body, and a cap secured to the nozzle body for retaining the fitting in assembled relation with the nozzle body, said cap being so constructed and arranged as to aflord limited angular movement of the fitting relative to the nozzle body.

PHILIP ELLIS. 

